The Forgotten Ones -Final Fantasy VII-
by LadyMaverick81
Summary: While researching about SOLIDER and the Jenova project, Former SOLIDER 1st class Selene Bradford discovers one of Shinra's hidden labs. Inside she finds something that could be the start of another world crisis...
1. Every Story Beings With A Name

Where do I begin?

I guess first with my name.

My name is Selene Bradford, former SOLIDER 1st class of the Shinra Electric Power Company. Nowadays I'm a bounty hunter and courier for the highest price. I go by the alias of either "Selenite Strife" or "Selenite". The last name coming from a former infantryman named Cloud Strife who died during the Nibelheim incident.

As for my military record, you can say it was decorated and rather impressive. I joined Shinra when I was 14 and started out as an infantryman and then was able to get into SOLIDER on my first try. I was a SOLIDER 3rd during the final days of the Wutai war and after Angeal Hewley was supposedly killed-in-action following the battle at Ft. Tamblin; I got promoted to 2nd. I was guess with the mysterious mass desertion they needed more SOLIDER 2nds; who knows.

Then it was after Zack Fair and Sephiroth was killed-in-action in Nibelheim that I was promoted to SOLIDER 1st class.

Also, at the time Professor Hojo the head of the Science Department stepped down as the head doctor for the SOLIDER program and was replaced by Professor Rayleigh. During that time, I volunteered to be the prototype for the second generation of SOLIDER. According to Professor Rayleigh, I was an excellent candidate for the program. This was due to my genetic makeup and my natural body constitution.

I'm guessing I was used as propaganda tool to help clean up SOLIDER's image after the Nibelheim incident and to put any rumors of the incident to rest. I didn't care at that point in my life. I simply became a mindless doll for Shinra to use and I fully admit that I killed innocents in the name of Shinra. I took any mission regardless of the danger and a lot of the SOLIDER2nds and SOLIDER 3rds thought that I had a death wish. I just simply didn't care if I lived or died. That pleased the President and Heidegger to no end; they kept saying that I was Sephiroth's successor.

It wasn't until the President's murder and my promotion as the new Director of SOLIDER; that I started my own private internal investigation into the first generation of SOLIDER. Mostly, I wanted to know what happening to all of the SOLIDER 1st classes of that generation. This is because some of the older SOLIDER 1sts from the last generation started to show signs of mental instability and body degeneration. As I continued to dig deeper, I noticed one thing that connected them altogether; the Jenova project.

From what little information that I could get ahold of; the Jenova project was a project that was used by injecting DNA from the remains of a Cetra woman into human embryos. Those remains were found in a geological stratum dating back 2000 years or more. Since the Cetra or Ancients as we call it are now extinct, they were able to commutate with the planet. With that that Shinra's goal was to artificially create a Cetra that would supposedly lead them to the so-called Promise Land. A land that was rich with mako energy and that Shinra could expand there never ending empire. Unknowingly to them, the so-called Cetra that was found in that stratum wasn't a Cetra; but an interplanetary invader that nearly wiped out the Cetra over 2000 years ago.

The Jenova project was split into two sections, Project G in which was led by the Professor Hollander. That led to the creation of Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley. While Project S lead, led by the Professor Hojo, led to the creation of Sephiroth. Sadly, Project G was considered a failure because of the degeneration of the subjects' bodies over a period of time. Project S was considered a success and while it didn't create an artificial Cetra, it did create a super solider and could do Shinra's bidding. With the so-called success of Project S, Sephiroth was used as the prototype for the first generation of SOLIDER. Jenova cells were injected into the bodies of only SOLIDER 1st classes and further enhanced with mako.

While the first generation of SOLIDER was an overwhelming success, the program wasn't spared from trouble. With Genesis Rhapsodos' desertion and rebellion, the mass desertion of SOLIDER 3rds and 2nds and the death of Angeal Hewley (in which I would later found out died in a duel with Zack Fair) further complicated matters. But, the final nail in the coffin of the first generation was Sephiroth and Zack's supposed deaths in Nibelheim that ended the first generation. Professor Rayleigh would later state in her thesis that Jenova cells where the true cause.

It wasn't until Meteorfall that I would get the chance to learn more about Zack Fair after the Nibelheim incident. It was during Meteorfall that most of the board of directors where either missing or killed during the Sister Ray Incident.

I was imprisoned for treason at the time. This was because Palmer learned and reported about my internal investigation into SOLIDER to Heidegger. I was eventually freed by Reeve Tuesti and from him, I learned that the terrorist group AVALANCE was able to put an end to the incident and that Heidegger, Scarlet and Hojo were killed in the process.

With most of the board either dead or missing and the new President Rufus severely injured during the event. I took over the chain of command and became temporarily, the new head of Shinra. With Meteor still falling and from what was left of the science department guessed that Midgar was Meteor's main target.

Because of that, I ordered the complete evacuation of Midgar with the aid of the Turks, SOLIDER and Reeve's help.

During the evacuation and with Shinra in chaos, I was able to get complete access to all Shinra's archives with the aid of the board of directors' passcodes. Along a complete copy of all of their archives, I downloaded a list of ALL of Shinra's hidden labs and safe-houses. With all of that information, I copied it onto a data disc.

The other thing that I did was to retrieve Sephiroth's belongs that where recovered at Nibelheim. At the time of the incident; the only things that were recovered were his bloody torn clothes, a sliver colored piece of materia and his sword, broken in two. I knew that those items deserved to be buried at Nibelheim, where he died. It was the least that I could do, for a man who never knew how to live.

Once the evacuation was complete and my other affairs done; I walked away from Shinra and started a new life.

Up to this point, the information regarding Zack Fair and Nibelheim even with the former president's access was either sealed or missing, but mostly missing. That was until I went to Zack Fair's birthplace of Gongaga to meet with his family, or at least what was left of them.

With living near a ruined mako reactor most of the inhabitants developed severe cases of mako poisoning and a lot of them where fatal. Also at the time, Geostigma also whittled away at the population. I ended up meeting one of the last living relatives of the Fair family, Zack's younger sister. Upon meeting her, I told her that I was a reporter looking for information about her older brother. She told me that she hasn't seen him more than 10 years and fears that he is dead. The reason for that is the series of journals that were mailed to her from Zack. The letter that was enclosed was to give these journals to one Cloud Strife or any living relatives of the Strife family and that if he is reading this message that he mostly likely dead. Using my alias, I told Zack's sister that I was Cloud Strife's older sister and she handed me the journals.

After receiving the journals, I discovered more information regarding Nibelheim and why Hojo stepped down as the head doctor of the SOLIDER program.

The Nibelheim incident was caused by Sephiroth suffering from a complete mental break that resulted from his confrontation with Genesis (who at the time was reported to have died alongside Angeal in Modeoheim) at the reactor in Nibelheim. Zack further wrote that after the confrontation Sephiroth locked himself in the basement of one of Shinra's former labs that was in the basement of a mansion in Nibelheim; reading about the Jenova project. After learning about his personal connection to Jenova, he snapped and then burned the village to the ground. Heading towards the reactor to where his so-called mother or Jenova was stored, killing anyone who got in his way. At the reactor Zack tried to stop him, but failed. It was Cloud Strife that was able to stop him and throw his body down to the bottom of the reactor, killing him. After the battle, Shinra came along with Hojo and collected any survivors; included Cloud and Zack and started a new project. In which he wasn't to test his theory about Jenova cells returning to its original source. Also, to create a copy of Sephiroth as well since the original is now dead.

Those notes regarding Hojo's experiments after he stepped down as the head doctor of the SOLIDER program, they were never entered into Shinra's database. So I'm assuming that Hojo either had them stored offsite or in a journal somewhere. At this time, I'm still looking for that data.

Because of these events that transpired; I made a vow. That I would do everything in my power to make the truth of the SOLIDER program, the Jenova project and Meteorfall made public. So that something like this would never happed again.

But, I would need more information from Hojo and with Hojo dead that would be a problem. So I'm looking at all of the labs that he used prior to Meteorfall and that's where my story begins...

Author's Notes:

So I decided to bite the bullet and write the damn thing after all. Since my writing skills suck, I decided to write it as a soliloquy at this point. It's mostly an introduction of sorts. Also, fair warning that it's a rough draft, so expect grammar mistakes abound. Enjoy! Also you can view my work in progress on my tumblr account. Thanks!


	2. Bahamut SIN Incident

As my research into the Jenova project and the SOLIDER program continued. I ended up getting swallowed up into Gaia's problems; like everyone else. This happened on two separate occasions, one in which was later called the "Bahamut SIN incident". In which Jenova's remnants managed to take on human form, kidnap several children who were infected with Geostigma and brainwashed them to do their bidding. They also managed to use a summon materia in which was later known as Bahamut SIN. In which caused untold amounts of death and destruction in the city of Edge. I just happened to be in that area at the time and decided to lend a "rare" helping hand. Unknowing to me, would be helpful in my research.

With the information that I was able to acquire from hacking into Shinra's newly restored network and listening in on the Turks' radio transmissions. I was able to pin point the location of the remnants along the main expressway that connects Edge to Midgar; in which at the time was under construction. While the Turks were somewhat able to help me in slowing down only two of the supposedly three remnants. All with the aid of what I must say; must have been the most ridiculous jury rigged hand bomb that I have ever seen. At least with that bomb I was able was able to ambush the remaining two remnants along the expressway.

Those two (whom would later be identified at Yazoo and Loz) proved to be rather formidable opponents and the odds weren't in my favor at all. But since I was a SOLIDER 1st class; I was used to those kinds of odds. As a result, of either dumb luck or those two under estimating me, I was able to severely injure both of them before they ran off. Before I was able to follow them, I was approached by the Turks Reno and Rude. I never forgot the words that came out of Reno's mouth. It was more of the lines, "Hey! She's supposed to be dead, yo!"

Rude just merely smiled and nodded his head. It was an untold gesture, telling me that it was good to see me alive and well. I remember working with those two in the past and each time it was always a pleasure to work with them. It was mostly that those two respected me and my fighting skill, greatly. I remember Tseng even had a pet name for me, often calling me the "Madame Golden General".

I told them, I didn't have time to chat and ran off after Yazoo and Loz. Not before telling them that it was good to see them, both alive and well. But before I ran off, I told them to give my regards to Tseng.

After chasing the remnants to the remains of the Shinra building; I saw the aftermath of what was a rather huge battle. Debris and blood littered the landscape and for a split second, I felt the presence of something sinister. It was then that I heard a voice begging me to go save him. At the time I didn't know who was I supposed to save? But not even a second later I heard a gunshot and ran towards the sound of it. It was then that I saw Yazoo and Loz standing next to the body of a blond swordsman who holding a weapon that was similar to what Zack Fair and Angeal Hewely used when they were still alive. Without a second to spare, I quickly cast the strongest barrier spell that I could summon and it wasn't a moment too soon. It was soon after that those remnants detonated a suicide bomb, destroying a good part of the Shinra building along with them.

Knowing that my barrier spell protected the blond swordsman, I quickly ran to him and administered first aid. At the time, I didn't know who he was and how he got there. I assumed that this was the person that I was supposed to save. It was then that the voice in my head told me to bring him to the church. I didn't know which church I was supposed to bring this man too. It was then that I had a vision of some sorts and in it that vision gave me the location of the church. So with the blond swordsman in tow, I quickly headed towards the church that was in my vision.

Upon arriving to the church, I noticed two things that I knew weren't possible in Midgar. Those two impossible things were flowers and a pool of water that covered a good part of the floor of the church. There I was then once again visited by that same voice. The voice told me to place the blond swordsman's body in the water. So I did and I noticed that his wounds that I tried to patch up earlier, quickly started to heal. Once again, I had another vision and in that vision I finally met the ghost that I was looking for, Zack Fair. With Zack was a woman that I would later find out was his lover who died prior to Meteorfall, Aerith Gainsbourgh. Those two thank me in saving their friend in which I would also find out was Cloud Strife. The same Cloud Strife that I assumed died in Nibelheim. Knowing that time was not on my side I asked Zack one serious question. "What was that sinister presence that I felt earlier, was it Jenova?" I said.

The answer that those two gave me was rather cryptic and those annoy me to no end. They told me yes, that was Jenova. But, it was Aerith that gave me a rather cryptic riddle on top of all of that. In it she said, "To the one who will become the next pillar in which that supports Gaia. Do not fall in love with the Calamity's son." With my time ending and the sounds of approaching footsteps, I bid them goodbye and walked away from the church and Midgar.

It was later on; after hacking into the Scarlet's personal offsite database (that was a miracle that it was still intact) and the newly formed World Regenesis Organization that I learned more about the remnants and about AVALANCHE's involvement with Meteorfall. From what Reeve told me during the evacuation of Midgar two years prior. That it was Sephiroth who summoned Meteor and that AVALANCHE was the ones that stopped him and saved the world.

It was also that the remnant that would be later known as Kadaj used Jenova's head and took on Sephiroth's appearance. It was that same apparition fought Cloud Strife among the ruins of the Shinra building. At the time I didn't know that Cloud Strife was a member of AVALANCHE. I didn't know about their activities prior to Meteorfall, only from what my clearance as the Director of SOLIDER gave me at the time. That Shinra used them as a scapegoat for being the cause of Meteorfall and tried to have them executed. Fortunately, the entity that would later be known as Sapphire WEAPON appeared during the execution and cased enough chaos and damage for AVALANCHE to escape. It was also later on that they were the ones who help put an end to the Sister Ray Incident and stopped Sephiroth, thus stopping Meteor.

I had the pleasure of meeting two of AVALANCHE's members during the evacuation of Midgar and with all of the hostility that was between Shinra and them. They showed no animosity towards me (being at the time the temporary head of Shinra) and that turned out to be a rather pleasant experience, midst the chaos. Those two members were the heir to the empire of Wutai, Yuffie Kisaragi and the former Turk Vincent Valentine.

AVALANCE came along way from being a terrorist organization to saviors of the world, not once but twice so far.

Now my desire to get the information that Hojo left behind grew even more. I needed to learn more about Cloud Strife and what happened to him during Nibelheim before and after Sephiroth's mental break. Since Shinra's archive prior and after Meteorfall was scattered at best. Also, the journals that Zack left behind only hinted at the torture that he and Cloud suffered. I knew that from reading those journals that Zack did escape from Nibelheim with a sick Cloud Strife in tow. I admired that those two avoided being captured for almost a year, before Zack Fair's execution in the wastes that surround Midgar by Shinra. The archives didn't show how Cloud Strife survival and him joining up with AVALANCHE.

I would find that out almost a year later…


End file.
